Magdeburg waterworks keeps crocodile mascot Nearly 40 years ago, the African nation of Mali gave former East Germany a baby crocodile as a gift. Now, Theophila is over three metres long and lives in Magdeburg's water treatment plant where she has become a local legend. Theophila, a nile crocodile, arrived in the communist country as a thank you from the Malian town of Kayes for building its waterworks some four decades ago. Just 22 centimetres long, the boss of the Colbitz water plant at the time, Gunter Hellmann, never imagined she would still be paddling around today. “The African mentality...

The following is a transcript of an interview between CHRIS MATHEWS, MSNBC atheist American journalist and then Cardinal Bergolio. It is clear why the interview was never broadcast. I have no idea of the level of authenticity.

The election of Pope Francis as the 266th bishop of Rome held many milestones. Francis is the first Latin American pope in history and the first non-European pontiff in about 1,200 years. However, some have claimed that a Medieval pope might have reached a milestone considered impossible given the standards and rules of Vatican City for ordained clergy. Legend has it that in the ninth century the Roman Catholic Church was ruled briefly by a "Pope Joan," who disguised herself as a man, rising through the ranks of the male-dominated hierarchy. Many have hailed the legend as true, with two...

ohnstown, PA (GlossyNews) – Local and state police scoured the hills outside rural Johnstown, Pennsylvania, after reports of three animal rights activists going missing after attempting to protest the wearing of leather at a large motorcycle gang rally this weekend. Two others, previously reported missing, were discovered by fast food workers “duct taped inside fast food restaurant dumpsters,” according to police officials. “Something just went wrong,” said a still visibly shaken organizer of the protest. “Something just went horribly, horribly, wrong.” The organizer said a group of concerned animal rights activists, “growing tired of throwing fake blood and shouting profanities...

Try to read this without laughing out loud… H/T Mike Hoy What a wonderful coming together of two diverse groups! We need more gatherings where the idiot activists are given warm, moist, aromatic welcomes like this one. This is why PETA usually protests women wearing fur rather than bikers wearing leather. Sounds to me like the old saying, “you mess with the bull, and you get the horns”. Gee, I guess these characters thought that Bikers where going to be politically correct like the rest of the wimpy world.

Fake Hurricane Sandy photos flew around Twitter and Facebook on Monday, as users shared jaw-dropping images. Unfortunately, the race to post the most striking pics has most folks skipping the all-important fact check. We’ve gathered up five “Hurricane Sandy” photographs that have spread on the social web, but weren’t actually taken during the massive storm. Have you spotted a fake photograph? Tell us in the comments below

Who is buried in the Hoover Dam? The Hoover Dam is one of the most phenomenal structures in modern history. This 1244 feet long, 660 feet thick, and 726 feet high concrete behemoth holds back so much water that it deformed the earth's crust and caused 600 small earthquakes in the decade after its construction. Over 100 workers died constructing the Hoover Dam — and legend has it, some of them are buried within its concrete facade. Is there anything to these rumors? An enormous number of deaths - Over 100 people died in the construction of the Hoover Dam....

The film “Angels and Demons” brings up the Catholic Church’s so-called war on science and the church’s treatment of Italian scientist Galileo Galilei. The following analysis sheds much-needed light on the case. In October 1992, Cardinal Paul Poupard presented to Pope John Paul II the results of the Pontifical Academy study of the famous 1633 trial of Galileo. He reported the study’s conclusion that at the time of the trial, “theologians ... failed to grasp the profound non-literal meaning of the Scriptures” when they condemned Galileo for describing a universe that seemed to contradict Scripture. The headlines that followed screamed...

Dear Freepers please pray for this baby. Came a few minutes ago from one of my friends via email: Dear Friends, I am passing on this request for a friend with whom I work at the Cumberland County Prison, who wrote: could you please pray for this baby?.. it is the son of one of our Pastor's friends. URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!!! KAYLA SCOTT'S 22 MONTH OLD SON SHOT HIMSELF IN THE CHEST WITH A BRAD NAILER~ IT WENT IN HIS HEART~ HE IS NOW IN CRITICAL CONDITION AND NOT DOING WELL ~ NEITHER IS HIS MOM ~PLEASE START A PRAYER...

An Australian schoolgirl had to cancel her 16th birthday party after her Facebook invitation went viral and close to 200,000 people said they would turn up at her house, reports said Tuesday. The Sydney girl had wanted her schoolmates to attend, and the post -- which included her address -- said they could bring friends if they let her know, Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper reported. "(It's an) open house party as long as it doesn't get out of hand," she wrote, adding that she had not had time to invite everyone individually. But within 24 hours more than 20,000 people...

Pray if you want to! CBS and Katie Couric must be in a panic and rushing to reassure the White House that this is not network policy--re: Andy Rooney's commentary on prayer. Folks, this is the year that we RE-TAKE AMERICA ********* Get Ready ********* Keep this going around the globe. Read it and forward every time you receive it.. We can't give up on this issue. Andy Rooney and Prayer Andy Rooney says: I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don't agree with Darwin ,...

(Can't post AP images, go to link please) What the heck is this picture about??? Is that photoshopped, or did they actually hoist the Chinese flag HIGHER than the American flag, ON AMERICAN SOIL?!?!?!?!?! If so, I AM LIVID. >:-( Anyone know how to read this header? Where did this picture come from? http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20110117/capt.7f202de6c75e42afa359e004844592b3-7f202de6c75e42afa359e004844592b3-0.jpg?x=400&y=274&q=85&sig=JTDf8B.t.q84IZOx0SE2XA--

Just for the record: I was not sleeping through all those years of religious education lessons, nor was I drifting off during my beloved European history classes. Nevertheless, I had never heard of the Papessa Giovanna (Pope Joan) until I moved to Rome, into the same neighborhood where the only female Pope’s secret is said to have been discovered and where she is to have been buried. According to the legend, in the 9th century a young English woman disguised herself as a man, taking the name Johannes Anglicus, and became a monk. In July 853 A.D., with Papal elections...

Freepers I need some help (and I'm in a snowstorm and can't get to my office to check the one source that I know of that might have this): In "Patriot's History of the United States," we wrote about the incident where Clinton exited Marine One and saluted the guard, who saluted but did not turn and face Clinton as he walked off. I'm pretty sure this was documented in Robert "Buzz" Patterson's book "Dereliction of Duty." We had a nasty letter claiming that Clinton was no longer in office when that happened. I find that impossible to believe, as...

Sorry for the huge image, but I wanted everyone to be able to see this photo taken of a TSA computer behind security glass at an airport. Notice the screen saver that is being used on the computer. These people are so arrogant they even have cavity search screen savers.

New Delhi: The White House will, of course, stay in Washington but the heart of the famous building will move to India when President Barack Obama lands in Mumbai on Saturday. Communications set-up and nuclear button and majority of the White House staff will be in India accompanying the President on this three-day visit that will cover Mumbai and Delhi. He will also be protected by a fleet of 34 warships, including an aircraft carrier, which will patrol the sea lanes off the Mumbai coast during his two-day stay there beginning Saturday. The measure has been taken as Mumbai attack...

I don't know how old this is, but it deserves being re-posted. _________________________________________________________ Robert A. Hall is the actor who plays the coroner on CSI. He is much more than an actor. Read to the end. This should be required reading for every man, woman and child in the United States of America . "I'm 63 and Im Tired" by Robert A. Hall I'm 63. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I've worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I...

>>While you were watching the oil spill, and other critical crises, Hillary Clinton signed the small arms treaty with the UN. OBAMA FINDS LEGAL WAY AROUND THE 2ND AMENDMENT AND USES IT. IF THIS PASSES, THERE COULD BE WAR On Wednesday Obama Took the First Major Step in a Plan to Ban All Firearms in the United States The Obama administration intends to force gun control and a complete ban on all weapons for US citizens through the signing of international treaties with foreign nations. Once the US Government signs these international treaties, all US citizens will be subject to...

This was just forwarded to me by my best friend. We both live in Los Angeles. She writes, My friend Richard took this pic this morning, thought you two would appreciate. Just another peaceful rally in downtown L.A.

A bag-snatcher on a bicycle pinched a bag of poo from an elderly dog-walker in Worthing. The thief rode past the pensioner near the Post Office in High Street, Tarring, and grabbed a bag she had been using to clean up after her dog. A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: "A male on his pushbike came past her and snatched the bag, perhaps thinking that there was something of value inside. "The lady was not harmed and clearly the thief stole nothing of value."

The AP (12/9) reports, "The top executive of General Electric has told a South Carolina audience that green technology can help the environment, create jobs and grow the economy." Jeffrey Immelt was in Greenville Tuesday taking part in a summit on renewable energy at "the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research," which "was hosted by the university and GE Energy." Immelt said that "the nation hasn't invested enough in energy technology in recent decades and that millions of green jobs will be created worldwide during the next five years." A separate AP (12/9) report quotes Immelt as saying "he...

From the Sand Pit: It's freezing here. I'm sitting on hard, cold dirt between rocks and shrubs at the base of the Hindu Kush Mountains, along the Dar 'yoi Pomir River, watching a hole that leads to a tunnel that leads to a cave. Stake out my friend, and no pizza delivery for thousands of miles. I also glance at the area around my a-- every ten to fifteen seconds to avoid another scorpion sting. I've actually given up battling the chiggers and sand fleas, but those scorpions give a jolt like a cattle prod; hurts like a ba---rd. The...

An airline is fending off charges fueled by a widely circulated e-mail that an incident on a flight from Atlanta to Houston, reported by news media as minor, actually bore the marks of a "dry run" by Muslim terrorists. The e-mail account of a purported passenger on AirTran Flight 297 on Nov. 17, bolstered by a separate investigation by Northeast Intelligence Network, contends that about a dozen Muslim men in "full attire" who were spread throughout the jet as it taxied to the runway caused a disturbance prompting pilots to return to the gate and bring law enforcement officers onboard....

Subject: A Novel Idea Vermont State Rep. Fred Maslack has read the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as well as Vermont 's own Constitution very carefully, and his strict interpretation of these documents is popping some eyeballs in New England and elsewhere. Maslack recently proposed a bill to register "non-gun-owners" and require them to pay a $500 fee to the state. Thus Vermont would become the first state to require a permit for the luxury of going about unarmed and assess a fee of $500 for the privilege of not owning a gun Maslack read the "militia" phrase of...

The crew of a naval vessel was vaccinated with H1N1 vaccine in order to “see what happens”. Well, what happened was that the Captain and the Chief Petty Officer died. Worse than that, it has become clear (yet again) that the vaccine actually CAUSES swine flu. If you choose to give either yourself or your kids a swine flu vaccine, you need your head examined. Here is the testimony from Navy wives of the affected crew via the internet radio show A Marines Disquisition, with Drew Raines. http://www.clipser.com/watch_video/1362067 : Ignore at your own peril. After the testimony is the actual...

Device captures everything you type and sends it via your ethernet card to the Dept. of Homeland Security without your knowledge, consent or a search warrant - every time you log on to the internet! I was opening up my almost brand new laptop, to replace a broken PCMCIA slot riser on the motherboard. As soon as I got the keyboard off, I noticed a small cable running from the keyboard connection underneath a piece of metal protecting the motherboard. -------------------------------------------------- This was sent to me, not confirmed.

Paranormal: An Encounter With Black-Eyed Kids by Jason Offutt Posted: 13:15 February 4, 2009 There’s something wrong with these children. They approach quietly, yet boldly. They’re young, usually teens or slightly younger. They insist on coming inside your house to use the bathroom, the telephone or just for a drink of water. But for some reason you’re afraid. Why? They’re just kids. Then you notice their eyes – black, as if the pupil had poured over its banks. You don’t let them in – or do you? Black-eyed kids. The term has floated across cyberspace since Jan. 16, 1998 when...

Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:17:49 -0400 Prayer request for Gary and Cindy Hogman by way of Faith Presbyterian Church, Emmaus PA Gary is serving in Iraq, while his young wife is fighting cancer here. See his request below. Bobby S. Briggs, MSgt, USAF 823 ESFS/SFOC Flight Sergeant BAGHDAD AB , IRAQ My name is Gary Hogman. Some of you receiving this know me, some do not. My wife, Cin dy, is 32 years old and has just been diagnosed with stage 4 cervical cancer and her chances for survival are very slim. She was pregnant with our second child...

New Dollar coin "In God We Trust" IS GONE! The printing of these coins was supposedly an accident - it was only to "test the waters" for what they plan to do, by removing that from all new currency. From Antoniette D. Walker REFUSE NEW COINS This simple action will make a strong statement. Please help do this. Refuse to accept these when they are handed to you. I received one from the Post Office as change and I asked for a dollar bill instead. The lady just smiled and said 'way to go', so she had read this e-mail....

A Polish man got the shock of his life when he visited a brothel and spotted his wife among the establishment's employees. Polish tabloid Super Express said the woman had been making some extra money on the side while telling her husband she worked at a store in a nearby town.

HONOLULU -- The state's Department of Health director on Friday released a statement verifying the legitimacy of Sen. Barack Obama birth certificate. The state has received multiple requests for a copy of Obama's birth certificate. State law does not allow officials to release the birth certificate of a person to someone outside of the family....

I figured it would be funny to have a thread devoted to all of the strange supposed Presidential Election 2008 predictors. Please post a history of the ones you know and any news on how current ones are playing out.

RUSH:OBAMA IS AN ARAB Did anyone else catch Rush today when he said BHO is not african american, but rather his father came from an arab area of africa? We at freeper have known for months that barry is 0% aryan, 44% arab and 6% luo. Yet he was eligible for aa at harvard and gets the tingly legged liberal vote because he is "black"

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Vice President Dick Cheney's office acknowledged on Thursday that he was mistaken when he asserted that China, at Cuba's behest, is drilling for oil in waters 60 miles from the Florida coast. In a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Cheney said on Wednesday that waters in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, long off limits to oil companies, should be opened to drilling because China is already there pumping oil. ''Oil is being drilled right now 60 miles off the coast of Florida,'' the vice president said. ''We're not doing it, the Chinese are, in cooperation...

A Home Depot store in Utah plans to celebrate Gay pride in the Store with decorations of Rainbows and employee Tee shirts announcing gay pride. Inside sources say that this is something that will be devastating to business as most of the customer base tends to be on the Right side of the issue as they are mostly religious people. I am actively involved in this business and i dont want to be a part of it bacuae this is contrary to my belief and would like advice from more experienced FReepers on how best to disrupt these outrageous plans...

This is what Barack Obama said following 9/11: “In the wake of 9/11, my meetings with Arab and Pakistani Americans have a more urgent quality, for the stories of detentions and FBI questioning and hard stares from neighbors have shaken their sense of security and belonging. I will stand with them should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.”

Urban legends help Obama while hurting McCain and therefore our country We recently showed [http://www.israpundit.com/2008/?p=1118] how the National Jewish Democratic Council cut out part of a statement by John McCain to suggest that he, like Obama, is open to unconditional discussions with terrorists and rogue governments. Half-truths, out of context statements, and blatant falsehoods are the National Jewish Democratic Council’s stock in trade, and we have exposed NJDC for this on many occasions. NJDC is therefore a Republican asset that will do Barack Obama far more harm than good in November. We must caution those who are on our side...

MONTGOMERY The state Senate may have been locked down for most of the year, but it did find time to endorse a widely discredited urban legend spread by the John Birch Society. The upper chamber passed a joint resolution April 10 sponsored by state Sen. Rusty Glover, R-Semmes, claiming that Canada, Mexico and the United States are moving toward a "North American Union" and working on construction of a "NAFTA Superhighway" to link the countries and report edly destroy their sovereignty. "It's about retaining independence," said John McManus, the president of the John Birch Society, in a phone interview Mon...

Your Opinion Counts The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) & U.S. Congress wants your opinion regarding proposed rule changes. Comments are due April 28, 2008 Thank you for taking the time to comment on these proposed rule changes that would adversely affect your Air 1 station. The time you invest in this could keep Christian radio strong. Here is some additional information about what is happening and why your opinion counts. While the FCC is considering these rule changes, at the moment nothing is "set in stone" as they await public comment. If any of these changes were adopted, there...

On 3/27/08, the Delano Police Department Gang Unit received information that a California Criminal Street Gang is going to be holding gang initiations in the Cities of Delano and McFarland. Prospective members are to collide their vehicles into random vehicles from behind. As the driver of the victim vehicle exits, the prospective members will open fire. This information has not been substantiated nor do we know if it is credible. As always, the Delano Police Department is concerened with the safety of all Delano residents and therefore, we are strongly suggesting that everyone use extreme caution if they are involved...

I heard recently on the Rush Limbaugh show this quote. "What we still don't understand is why you Americans stopped the bombing of Hanoi. You had us on the ropes. If you had pressed us a little harder, just for another day or two, we were ready to surrender! It was the same at the battles of TET. You defeated us! We knew it, and we thought you knew it. But we were elated to notice your media was definitely helping us. They were causing more disruption in America than we could in the battlefields. We were ready to surrender....

A year or two, and a PC, ago I read in Free Republic about this website where I could check if a story in an e-mail was fact or urband legend. Unfortunately, after changing PCs, I lost the link to that site. I have wished over and over I had saved that info when I changed PCs. Finally, I've decided to ask the same people who gave me the information at least a year ago. Freepers, do y'all know the website I'm talking about? How about its address? Thanks.

Jay Leno wrote this; it's the Jay Leno we don't often see.... "The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true, given the source, right? The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed, and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President. In essence, 2/3's of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ''What are we so unhappy...

Has a mythical beast turned up in Texas? By ELIZABETH WHITE, Associated Press Writer August 31, 2007 Phylis Canion lived in Africa for four years. She's been a hunter all her life and has the mounted heads of a zebra and other exotic animals in her house to prove it. But the roadkill she found last month outside her ranch was a new one even for her, worth putting in a freezer hidden from curious onlookers: Canion believes she may have the head of the mythical, bloodsucking chupacabra. "It is one ugly creature," Canion said, holding the head of the...

There's a slow poison out there that's severely damaging our children and threatening to tear apart our culture. The ironic part is, it's a "health food," one of our most popular. Now, I'm a health-food guy, a fanatic who seldom allows anything into his kitchen unless it's organic. I state my bias here just so you'll know I'm not anti-health food. The dangerous food I'm speaking of is soy. Soybean products are feminizing, and they're all over the place. You can hardly escape them anymore. I have nothing against an occasional soy snack. Soy is nutritious and contains lots of...